District blasted on handling bullet findings

Palmerton elementary officials did not call police after discovery.

February 18, 2004|By David Slade Of The Morning Call

Palmerton Area School Board President Patrick Frank and several residents criticized district officials Tuesday for not calling the police when two bullets were found in a toilet at S.S. Palmer Elementary School last week.

"If I had kids down there, I probably would have wanted the police called," Frank said.

Principal Sara Stroup said that in retrospect, perhaps the police should have been called to the school across Borough Park from Palmerton's police station. She said that when bullets were found in a third-floor toilet, it wasn't clear how long they had been there and she thought it made sense to see if teachers could find out where they had come from.

"In no way do I want anyone in this community to think we didn't take this seriously," Stroup said, adding that there was no attempt to keep the incident secret.

Officials were unable to learn who brought the bullets to school and don't believe students were in danger.

"We made sure the school was safe," Superintendent Tom Davis said. "We tried not to disrupt the entire school day because two bullets were found in a toilet."

Lee Bollinger, a frequent critic of district practices, suggested it would have made an impression on the students if the police had been summoned.

"It just strikes me that with all the things going on in schools you should have taken it more seriously and called the police and had them put on a little show," he said.

Kerry Beidleman, another audience member, went a step further, invoking the Columbine school shootings in Colorado and suggesting the building should have been secured and every locker searched.

In other business Tuesday, a school board committee agreed to let the Palmerton Booster Club organize a pro-wrestling style event at Palmer Elementary to raise money for football and cheerleading camp.

Donna Crum and Aimee Leon of the Booster Club said they hope to hold the event in April in a basement gym at the school known at "the pit."

The committee also discussed plans to demolish four homes bought by the district to make way for a middle school. The district is no longer planning to build the school, but intends to keep the land next to Palmerton Area High School where the homes sit, on Fireline Road.

The board voted 3-3 Tuesday to reject the budget of the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit after Frank complained about salary increases approved at the intermediate unit. Frank was joined by members Carl Bieling Jr. and Carol Dwyer in opposing the budget.

Sherry White, Michael Raub and Darlene Yeakel voted to approve it. Other board members were absent.

The board split along the same lines to reject, on a 3-3 vote, the hiring of Jim Hay as head track and field coach. Frank said Hay had not appeared before the board's athletic committee and will not be hired until he has.

Davis noted that the board's vote means track and field practice will begin in March without a head coach.